Judges 3: Lessons on God’s Mercy and Grace From His First Three Judges or Deliverers

Introduction: This chapter describes the Jews’ descent into sin, their cries for help, and God’s response with His deliverers. These accounts are remarkable for the God-given abilities of the deliverers. They are also remarkable because God sent His deliverers even though the Jews never repented. From these accounts, He reveals seven lessons about His mercy and grace.

First, from God’s promise to use the Canaanites (a symbol of the flesh) to test the hearts of the Jews, He reveals that He will use your flesh to test you as well. Second, from the Jews’ eight-year bondage to the Canaanites after engaging in temple prostitution, intermarrying with their children, and worshiping their gods, He reveals that idolatry leads to bondage. Third, from His elevation of Othniel as Israel’s first deliverer, He reveals that He is filled with both mercy and grace to free you from bondage. Fourth, from the Jews’ eighteen-year bondage to the Moabites following their continued disobedience and idolatry, He reveals that continued sin may lead to progressively more severe discipline. Fifth, from His elevation of Ehud as Israel’s second deliverer, He reveals that He does not want His people to perish or forever remain in bondage. Sixth, from His victory over the Moabites, He reveals that He can empower you to defeat your enemies as well. Finally, from His elevation of Shamgar as Israel’s third deliverer (a poor foreigner), He reveals that He can use ordinary people to deliver others from bondage to sin.

1. God Tests Your Heart to Show You Where it is Evil. Judges 3:1-4.

A faith that is never tested cannot be trusted1

2. Idolatry Leads to Bondage to Sin. Judges 3:5-8.

3. Out of Mercy and Grace, God Seeks to Deliver You From Bondage. Judges 3:9-11.

God raised up Othniel to deliver the Jews2

4. The Failure to Repent May Lead to Progressively Severe Discipline. Judges 3:12-14.

5. Out of Mercy and Grace, God Does Not Desire any to Perish. Judges 3:15-26.

Ehud killed King Eglon of Moab3

6. Out of Grace, God Can Also Give You Victory Over Your Enemies. Judges 3:27-30.

7. God Can Use Any Person of Humble Origins to Deliver Others From Sin. Judges 3:31.

God raised up Shamgar as His third deliverer4